Got one of those "Come listen to our salespitch and you get a prize" cards

[CPA]

It's for some resort just north of Houston here. The interesting thing is, according to the odds listed on the card participants had a 2 in 100,000 chance of winning the 1st prize (Mitsu 48" Widescreen Prijection HDTV), 99993 of 100,000 of 2nd prize (DVD/CD player) and 5 of 100,000 of 3rd prize (Flat Screen Color TV).

Now, the odds seem legitimate, but what are the chances they print up hundreds of thousand of these things and only send out those with the 1st prize winning card? My thought is "why would anyone go through this 90 minute high pressure sales pitch just for a DVD/VCR player?". Then again, what if it is legit and I can get out of there just with the TV and then turn around and sell it for a quick $1k?

Oh, before I forget, according to the card, I "won" the 1st prize.

 

[StageLeft]

Well, you will end up with a $35 DVD player for 90 min of your time, plus travel.

 

[Aharami]

go for it.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Well, you will end up with a $35 DVD player for 90 min of your time, plus travel.

read the last sentence I edited in. According to the card, I actually would get the HDTV.

 

[FoBoT]

don't waste your time, unless you are a gluton to screw with sales weasels

 

[FoBoT]

why would you believe anything you are reading on that card?

 

[GasX]

These guys make high pressure salesmen seem like pussies...

 

[CPA]

I hear ya guys, but I did one of these things in Orlando for a free dinner at some fancy restaurant and was able to get out of there unscathed.

 

[jfall]

take the mystery box

 

[Spikesoldier]

whatever you do, dont take the mystery box.

 

[LordSnailz]

I'd say do it but prep yourself and your S.O. to support each other when they go at you. Tell us how it goes ...

 

[Jzero]

Just remember what happened on South Park

 

[Anonemous]

Originally posted by: Jzero
Just remember what happened on South Park

lol. Stan darsh! Never got what the movie reference was at the end, when that chick had two mutated guys on her chest.

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
whatever you do, dont take the mystery box.

don't listen to him...tak the box!!!

 

[RossMAN]

We have personally attended 3 of these timeshare pitches and every time we received our prizes:

There are a few catches though:

• They're lying bastards remember this first and foremost.
• It's very high pressure sales, just keep saying no at least 100 times.
• Basically you sit through a 90 minute speel and presentation. The last 20-30 minutes are super high sleazy sales pitch one on one.
• Afterwards you get a gift voucher, two of ours were free airplane + hotel trips from Portland, Oregon to Las Vegas, Nevada. The third was while we were in Vegas we received free breakfast and dinner for a 60 minute speel.
• If it's a free trip, it will be during mid week whenever they have available. You can pay more to upgrade to a nicer hotel (we upgraded to The Luxor). You will have to pay taxes/fees/whatever for the trip. Usually around $100 per couple.
• If you win an actual prize that's worth something (over $300) you'll probably have to pay taxes on it's retail value at the end of the year.

We usually fly to Vegas FREE every few years for free thanks to these timeshare presentations.

Hope that helps

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: CPA

Oh, before I forget, according to the card, I "won" the 1st prize.

trust me, you didn't.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: CPA

Oh, before I forget, according to the card, I "won" the 1st prize.

trust me, you didn't.

The card came with 5 scratch off squares. if 4 out of the 5 have a dollar sign you get the 1st prize. Mine did. According to the odds, only 2 out of every 100K cards has the four $ signs. Of course, they could have printed millions and million of these cards and sent out all only the TVs. Or, they could be lying in the small print.

Rossman, did any of them make copies of your DL and/or credit cards?

 

[Kelemvor]

Usually you get something like a free weekend in a hotel or something if you sit and listen to their sales pitch trying to sell it to you. If you just sit back and look dumbfounded lots of times you can get out of it.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: CPA

Oh, before I forget, according to the card, I "won" the 1st prize.

trust me, you didn't.

The card came with 5 scratch off squares. if 4 out of the 5 have a dollar sign you get the 1st prize. Mine did. According to the odds, only 2 out of every 100K cards has the four $ signs. Of course, they could have printed millions and million of these cards and sent out all only the TVs. Or, they could be lying in the small print.

Rossman, did any of them make copies of your DL and/or credit cards?

No copies but they did look at our DL and write down our name, address and DOB's.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: CPA

Oh, before I forget, according to the card, I "won" the 1st prize.

trust me, you didn't.

The card came with 5 scratch off squares. if 4 out of the 5 have a dollar sign you get the 1st prize. Mine did. According to the odds, only 2 out of every 100K cards has the four $ signs. Of course, they could have printed millions and million of these cards and sent out all only the TVs. Or, they could be lying in the small print.

Rossman, did any of them make copies of your DL and/or credit cards?

No copies but they did look at our DL and write down our name, address and DOB's.

okay, the card I got said bring two forms of verification - a Driver's License and a Credit Card or imprinted checkbook. Warning bells started ringing in my head.